We walk the line: A surge of solidarity for graduate students at NYU

[struggle4progress]

Their promise: to protest New York University 's refusal to negotiate with 1,100 graduate student workers.

Their plan: picket outside NYU, block access to the college library and get arrested.

And so a surge of energy filled the streets outside the private Manhattan college on Sept. 1 as the footsteps of more than 500 protesters, representing the American Federation of Teachers, the AFL-CIO, and many others, thumped the hot sidewalks. It was the day the graduate students' contract expired. On that day, 76 unionists, upset about the college's refusal to recognize the students' union, were arrested.

"This kind of civil disobedience in support of a righteous cause is a proud tradition in the union movement," said Dick Iannuzzi, president of New York State United Teachers. <snip>

http://www.nysut.org/newyorkteacher/2005-2006/050922nyu.html